Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1887-09-24
A MANLY APPEAL.

We condense and here present so
much Of Mr.. Governs letter as is of
special interest outside of Mary
land.
Mr.. Garrett and I are personal
friends but antipodes in politics. He
is and always has been supporter
| of Senator German and in every
election a large contributor to the
Democratic campaign fund. A brief
statement will be conclusive that the
B. & o. does not instigate my politi-
cal conduct. / first took part as an
independent in the campaign OF
1882. The then President Of the
road, hearing of my intended course,
endeavOred to dissuade me, and sent
several directors to urge me not to
advocate the new judges because, if
l die, the Ring would feel yindictive
and make it an excuse for attacking
the company. The only reason they
gave was the fear of hostility by the
Ring. My reply was that my inde-
pendence would be best for the COM
pany but, whether so or not, would
not hold a place for a single moment
where | could not express my politi
cal sentiments with the utmost free
dom. Mr.. Robert Garrett also at
that time urged me not to take an
independent part and gave the same
reasons as his father. Subsequent
ly in the Brown.Hodges campaign,
Mr.. Robert Garrett and the others
of the chief officers of the company
urged me DoJ to antagOnize the Ring,
and their only reason was that it
would excite the managers Of the
Democratic party and cause legisla-
tive attacks on the company MIR.
Gwinn saying that the Republicans
we're never friendly to the road.
Pressure was brought to bear on me
from every quarter by the friends of
the B. & o., and in every case their
only argument was, that the bosses
would inflict vengeance through the
Legislative channels which they con-
trolled. The most influential man
with the employees, East of the Ohio
River, is Mr.. Clements who is Sena.
tor Germans friend and is working
for him with all his might. Mr..
Bernard Carter, attorney for the Pa.
road, presldes at the Democratic
conventions and the Sun does not
intimate that he is instigated by his
corporation. Mr.. GwlDn, also coun-
sci for the B. & O., and for the Yves
tern Union telegraph and for the G.
s. 0. canal, wrote the Democratic
platform, drafted the election law,
and stepped from the attourneyship
of the railroad into the Office of at
tOrney general, and yet 1t is not
suggested that he was instigated by
his corporations. Why is it that
Stevenson Archer, chairman of the
Democrtic State committee, can be
made State Treasurer while he is
counsel for the road, and yet there
is no intimatiOn that his conduct
was instigated? The committee APP.
pointed by the Democratic conven-
ton to draft the election law consis-
ted of Mr.. Gwinn, attorney of the
B. & O., Mr.. Reveli, it's local attor-
ney in Anne Arundel Co., Mr.. Pierce,
of Kent, who tried the only case the
company had in bis county, and Mr..
McSherry, of Frederick, attorney
for the Pa. company why is no
suggestion made that they we're in
stigated by their corporations I
The simple truth is, the sam and its
co.adjutors have tried to drive the
B. & o. into coercing me in my pol
itical action. l boldly appeal to the
employees of every corporation,-I
say to them: 81 am fighting your
battle for free speech, for free
thought, for political independence"
The Issue raised involves high NOR
al question and it is this: the Sun
and the influences it represents at.
tacks me through the B. & o. COM
pany and say in substance "That
if any employe Of any corporation
exercises his right of free speech in
politics, opposes the Ring and de-
nouncee their crimes and frauds,
then the San and the Ring with
which it acts, will attack the employ
ing corporation" The proclamation is
made if any man, in railroad EN-.
ploy, dare oppose the nominees of
German Rasin Ring the San, and
| the organization with which it acts,
will threaten the corporation he
serves with legislative punishment,
although It's corruptions are notori.
GUS, yet if any man in railroad EN-.
ploy denounces the German Ring,
which exists politically by the organ.
ization of the city's criminal classes,
then the Sun, and the tyrannical
gang it represents, will threaten the
employing corporation with hostile
legislation.
| | appeal to the employees of the
Pa, the 3. & O. and other railroad
companies, from the brave men who
hold the throttle to the men who
walk the track, to support me in
this fight, because / am battling for
free speech and political independ.
ence. The San and the gang it rep
resents say, that we must not dare
speak against them for if we do they
will bring down on the corporations
we serve the vengeance OF the leg
islature. This effort to coerce or
crush me has aroused every instinct
of manhood; 81 have felt as if the
ho0f of an unclean beast were upon
my neck and | must throw it off
though die ~
| appeal to the employees of every
manufacturing corporation, of every
railroad company, of every coal com:
pany, in this State, and / say to
them i" am fighting yonr battle for